Systems and methods for control signaling for using a reconfigurable intelligent surface in communication systems

Abstract

Aspects of the present application provide a system with a RIS panel with a unique geometrical shape surface, two RIS panels, also referred to as an RIS-pair, or a group of more than two RIS panels that are jointly controlled to aid wireless communication coverage holes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 sending, by a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) node, capability information of the RIS node, wherein the RIS node comprises at least a first portion of a first surface and a second portion of a second surface, and wherein the first portion of the first surface is configurable to redirect a signal to the second portion of the second surface;   sending, by the RIS node, information pertaining to beam sets or orientation of at least one of the first portion of the first surface or the second portion of the second surface;   receiving, by the RIS node, control signal from a base station for controlling operation of the RIS node; and   redirecting, by the RIS node, signals from a user equipment (UE) to a base station or from a base station to a user equipment based on the control signal.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the capability information of the RIS node comprises at least one of:
 an indication of whether the RIS node is able to be partitioned into multiple portions;   when there are at least two RIS portions, an indication of whether the first portion of the first surface and the second portion of the second surface are independently or jointly controlled; and   adjustability of the first portion of the first surface and the second portion of the second surface.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the information pertaining to beam sets comprises, for each beam set, a set index value for identifying the beam set, a number of beams in the beam set, and one or more RIS portions the beam set is associated with. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the information pertaining to orientation of at least one of the first portion of the first surface or the second portion of the second surface comprises at least one of:
 an angle between the first portion of the first surface and the second portion of the second surface; or   a geometrical shape of the first portion of the first surface and the second portion of the second surface.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the control signal for controlling operation of the RIS node comprises one or more of:
 when there are at least two RIS portions, an indication of whether the first portion of the first surface and the second portion of the second surface are independently or jointly controlled;   a set index for identifying a selected beam set to be used by each of the first portion of the first surface and the second portion of the second surface;   a beam or beam group in the selected beam set to be used by each of the first portion of the first surface and the second portion of the second surface;   an indication of a location of a UE or UE group; or   a location of the UE.   
     
     
         6 . A device, comprising:
 at least a first portion of a first surface and a second portion of a second surface, wherein the first portion of the first surface is configurable to redirect a signal to the second portion of the second surface;   one or more processors, wherein when executing program instructions stored in the device, the one or more processors cause the device to:   send capability information of the device;   send information pertaining to beam sets or orientation of at least one of the first portion of the first surface or the second portion of the second surface;   receive control signal from a base station for controlling operation of the device; and   redirect signals from a user equipment (UE) to a base station, or from a base station to a UE, based on the control signal.   
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the capability information of the device comprises at least one of:
 an indication of whether the device is able to be partitioned into multiple portions;   when there are at least two device portions, an indication of whether the first portion of the first surface and the second portion of the second surface are independently or jointly controlled; and   adjustability of the first portion of the first surface and the second portion of the second surface.   
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the information pertaining to beam sets comprises, for each beam set, a set index value for identifying the beam set, a number of beams in the beam set, and one or more device portions the beam set is associated with. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the information pertaining to the orientation of at least one of the first portion of the first surface or the second portion of the second surface comprises at least one of:
 an angle between the first portion of the first surface and the second portion of the second surface; or   a geometrical shape of the first portion of the first surface and the second portion of the second surface.   
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the control signal for controlling operation of the device comprises one or more of:
 an indication of whether the first portion of the first surface and the second portion of the second surface are independently or jointly controlled;   a set index for identifying a selected beam set to be used by each of the first portion of the first surface and the second portion of the second surface;   a beam or beam group in the selected beam set to be used by each of the first portion of the first surface and the second portion of the second surface;   an indication of a location of a UE or UE group; or   a location of the UE.   
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a base station, capability information of a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) node, wherein the RIS node comprises at least a first portion of a first surface and a second portion of a second surface, and wherein the first portion of the first surface is configurable to redirect a signal to the second portion of the second surface;   receiving, by the base station, information pertaining to beam sets or orientation of at least one of the first portion of the first surface or the second portion of the second surface; and   transmitting, by the base station, a control signal to the RIS node for controlling operation of the RIS node.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the capability information comprises at least one of:
 an indication of whether the RIS node is able to be partitioned into multiple RIS portions;   when there are at least two RIS portions, an indication of whether the first portion of the first surface and the second portion of the second surface are independently or jointly controlled; and   adjustability of a surface of the first portion of the first surface and the second portion of the second surface.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the information pertaining to the beam sets comprises, for each beam set, a set index value for identifying the beam set, a number of beams in the beam set and one or more RIS portions the beam set is associated with. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the information pertaining to the orientation of at least one of the first portion of the first surface or the second portion of the second surface comprises at least one of:
 an angle between the first portion of the first surface and the second portion of the second surface; or   a geometrical shape of the first portion of the first surface and the second portion of the second surface.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the control signal for controlling operation of the RIS node comprises one or more of:
 when there are at least two RIS portions, an indication of whether the first portion of the first surface and the second portion of the second surface are independently or jointly controlled;   a set index for identifying a selected beam set to be used by each of the first portion of the first surface and the second portion of the second surface;   a beam or beam group in the selected beam set to be used by each of the first portion of the first surface and the second portion of the second surface;   an indication of a location of a UE or UE group; or   a location of the UE.   
     
     
         16 . A device, comprising:
 at least a first portion of a first surface and a second portion of a second surface, wherein the first portion of the first surface is configurable to redirect a signal to the second portion of the second surface;   one or more processors, wherein when executing program instructions stored in the device, the one or more processors cause the device to:
 receive capability information of a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) node comprising at least a first portion of a first surface and a second portion of a second surface, wherein the first portion of the first surface is configurable to redirect a signal to the second portion of the second surface; 
 receive information pertaining to beam sets or orientation of at least one of the first portion of the first surface or the second portion of the second surface; and 
 transmit a control signal to the RIS node for controlling operation of the RIS node. 
   
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the capability information comprises at least one of:
 an indication of whether the RIS node is able to be partitioned into multiple RIS portions;   an indication of whether the first portion of the first surface and the second portion of the second surface are independently or jointly controlled; and   adjustability of a surface of the first portion of the first surface and the second portion of the second surface.   
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the information pertaining to beam sets comprises, for each beam set, a set index value for identifying the beam set, a number of beams in the beam set and one or more RIS portions the beam set is associated with. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the information pertaining to the orientation of at least one of the first portion of the first surface or the second portion of the second surface comprises at least one of:
 an angle between the first portion of the first surface and the second portion of the second surface; and   a geometrical shape of the first portion of the first surface and the second portion of the second surface.   
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the control signal for controlling operation of the RIS node comprises one or more of:
 an indication of whether the first portion of the first surface and the second portion of the second surface are independently or jointly controlled;   a set index for identifying a selected beam set to be used by each of the first portion of the first surface and the second portion of the second surface;   a beam or beam group in the selected beam set to be used by each of the first portion of the first surface and the second portion of the second surface;   an indication of a location of a UE or UE group; or   a location of the UE.